The Gallery serve up heartland rock Saturday at El Corazon

If you like your rock served up unironic and full of gooey hooks, swing by El Corazon Saturday night to check out The Gallery.

Based out of Los Angeles, these Massachusetts transplants feel like a mix of Tom Petty (who lead singer Brendan Cooney takes his vocal cues from) and the emo pop bands that nearly everyone of a certain age grew up listening to whether they wanted to or not. On paper that might seem like a recipe for disaster but thankfully they lean toward sounding more like an ’80s heartland rock outfit than Fallout Boy.

Their latest album, 2013’s “Restless,” was produced by Warren Huart, who has cut tracks for Aerosmith, The Fray and James Blunt, among a laundry list of other big names. Huart also produced The Gallery’s 2011 EP “Come Alive.”

“He played a big part in stripping any hints of emo,” Cooney said Wednesday while driving to San Francisco to start the first leg of the band’s tour. “He kind of has a no bull—t approach to producing so I think we learned a lot from him that first time around.”

The pedigree shows as the album features several standout tracks. “Restless Soul” — a band favorite —builds impressively and features some insightful lyrics, while “Fast Friends” and “Catalyst” are fun rockers with sticky sweet sing-along choruses.

“It’s kind of based off our biggest influences: Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen,” Cooney said. “We just tried to put a new spin on that stuff, our favorite music to listen to and cover.”

Opening for The Gallery is Seattle alt country rocker Dylan Jakobsen, who befriended the band at SXSW last year.

Jakobsen’s EP “Statelines,” a sampler of songs from his full-length album due out next month, leaves you wanting more. He’s got a great voice and infuses just enough twang into it to elevate him out of the typical singer-songwriter mold. Alt country fans should not sleep on Jakobsen.

Local acts Sean Michael’s Kight, What’s Mine Is Yours and Blue Like Jazz get things started right at 7 p.m.

About us

Seattle Times music coordinator Paul de Barros has written about jazz and pop music for the paper since 1982 and is the author of “Jackson Street After Hours: The Roots of Jazz in Seattle.” On Twitter @pdebarros.

Andrew Matson is a freelance writer and close follower of the Seattle pop music scene – especially the genres of rap, rock and electronic. On Twitter @andrewmatson.

Seattle native Gene Stout has been writing about popular music for more than two decades and has interviewed and profiled many of Seattle’s best-known musicians. On Twitter @popmusiccritic.

Charles R. Cross is a Seattle-based writer who has authored eight books, including the bestselling biography of Kurt Cobain, "Heavier Than Heaven." On Twitter @Charlesrcross.

Charlie Zaillian served as music director of Olympia’s influential KAOS-FM, has a particular affection for punk rock and has freelanced for The Seattle Times since 2011. On Twitter @czaillian

Owen R. Smith is a freelance journalist and music writer, country music aficionado, erstwhile sportswriter and one-time novelist. On Twitter @inanedetails.

Gillian G. Gaar has written extensively about music and popular culture and is the author of several books. On Twitter @GillianGaar.

Mike Ramos is a Seattle native and freelance writer who has followed rap music since the early '90s and can sometimes be heard DJing on KEXP FM. On Twitter: @RAM0S206.

Andrew Gospe is a freelance writer and electronic musician who's called Seattle home since 2009. On Twitter: @gospea.